Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Presents Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit to Thomas Péterffy

June 7, 2017 10:28 AM

Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán presented the Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit to President and CEO of Interactive Brokers Group Thomas Péterffy in a ceremony in the Parliament Building on Friday, June 2. Born in Budapest, Péterffy fled from communist Hungary to the United States after the Soviet Union crushed the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, eventually settling in New York.

Speaking at the ceremony before the presentation of the Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit to Thomas Péterffy, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praised Peterffy as the personification of the American dream. Born in Budapest in a hospital basement during a Russian air raid in 1945, “Thomas Péterffy, who left Hungary in the 1960s and entered the world of the stock exchange in the United States as a computer consultant, has shown the world that Wall Street not only has wolves, but also pioneers, who view innovation as more important than speculation,” said the Prime Minister.

“While Thomas Péterffy became one of the richest men in the world, he never lost his love of and feeling of responsibility for Hungary, as well as never losing his caution with respect to socialism,” added Prime Minister Orbán.

Following the presentation of the award, Thomas Péterffy noted the deeply personal significance of the location of the award ceremony in Budapest’s Parliament Building. Mr. Péterffy’s great-great-grandfather Tamás Péchy became a Member of Parliament in 1868 and was later Speaker of the House for twelve years.

“This nation had to endure one of the most hideous experiments in world history, the needless suffering that went with socialism,” said Péterffy, adding that it was important for the people to know that their history, character, capabilities, traditions, and advantages, which are the building blocks of the life and future of every individual.

The Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit was bestowed on the American-based businessman by President of the Republic János Áder for his value-orientated participation in public life and his selfless support of the Museum to Commemorate the Victims of Communism to be founded in Washington, and in recognition of his merits and exemplary career that have significantly and unambiguously furthered the reputation of Hungary.

To read the Prime Minister’s remarks at the ceremony of the presentation of Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit to Thomas Péterffy, please click HERE.